Recently there has been several questions about new Forum areas, specifically for VDV and Tricks/Tips of the Trade.

If anyone has anything they would like to ask or share on these topics please do! If we get a number of discussions about something we can look into creating a new/separate area for them.

Bill

Hey Bill,
What's VDV?.

Voice, Data, Video??

-Hal

"Tricks" would be cool! Someone once said "education is a shortcut to experience". Count me in for listening.


Regarding VDV, we do quite a bit of that.

Steve

Good call Hal!,
Thanks.

Bill,
I was one of the original people to reply positively in favor of the VDV area and am still very much interested. I have a new builder who wants me to do all the VDV. I have a local electronics outlet that will give me wholesale on coax, cat5e and all the supplies needed for an installation. I have gone to the Leviton site to learn what I can.
I also think tricks of the trade are of interest to most tradespeople.
How about if we keep bumping this thread to the top to see how much interest we can spark? At this point I can offer a few tricks of the trade, but in the VDV area I must confess I don't have much to offer, my interest is to learn from those here who are willing to share.

BigB,

If you've got some questions on VDV please ask away! That's the best way to get started. Same with Tricks of the Trade.

Bill

I am totally FOR a VDV forum. We regularly deal with this stuff and would appreciate tips and discussions from pros.

I am definately there for a VDV Forum!

It can be half of the Biz soon, for some of us it already is.

Yes, I'd be one for a VDV area.
Like others have said above, this sort of work is becoming more and more prevalent as customers are asking for Home Theatre systems, better TV and Internet access in each room.
Not to mention the different Remote Control Extending systems.
The list goes on...
BTW Bill, I'd be willing to ask the rest of the guys here how they feel about a thing like a "Tricks of the Trade" Forum.
It would have to be made strictly for ECN Members only (as in Professional Electricians), otherwise we could be flooded with DIY questions, asking how to do this, that or the next thing.
I'm not sure, I don't frequent other Electrical Forums on the Net, but that's my take on the thing anyway.
But if it's good for ECN, go with it I say!.

{Message edited to correct a spelling error.}

[This message has been edited by Trumpy (edited 01-02-2005).]

(new guy jumps in..ducking)

If a VDV forum might mean more EC's would be taking on datacom wiring jobs, and having more info for those jobs, then I think it's a great idea. The end result would be safer, better wiring.

I've always found it way easier to teach an EC how to do data wiring, than a data guy to pay attention to safety and codes. (I don't mean that as a slam, wiring takes a long time to learn, data is usually pretty simple.)

"If you've got some questions on VDV please ask away!"

OK Bill, here goes.

I am doing work for a restoration company that does flood and fire restoration. They want ne to do the CATV and phone. Nothing fancy, just voice and cable TV.

Should I get some sort of termination panel and run home runs to each location? Most of these homes had Cat 5 just daisy chained. With the budget I have to work with I wouldn't want to use a real costly termination center. If there is TV in 4 or 5 locations, I don't see how to do it without multiple home runs. You wouldn't want to use a bunch of splitters would you? How about one big splitter?

Also, should I keep the cat 5 and coax away from the romex, drilling separate holes?

Oh and for the phone, do you hook up for two lines right away or just connect the primary line in each room?

And with the cat 5, are the extra pairs just for noise supression or are they sometimes used to carry voice/data? In other words, is cat 5 capable of more than 2 lines?

Well as you can see I am as green as they come, hope it's not too many questions at once.

By the way, is it common to use a 66 block in residential or is it overkill?

Thanks, Brian

Brian,

I didn't mean here
Please start a New Thread with an appropriate title.


Bill

A VDV area sounds like a good idea, as we are getting more questions on these topics now. "Tricks of the trade" also sounds like a reasonable candidate, as it would allow some neat semi-reference threads to be kept all together in one place.

The only thing I would add is that I don't think we should get carried away with adding extra areas unless they cover a clearly defined topic (or sub-topic), such as above.

Those forums which have four dozen areas on the index page might look impressive at first, but it soon becomes clear that there is a lot of overlap between areas and a lot of confusion as to which is the "correct" area for a subject.

I would be interested in both as new forums.

Steve

I would like to cast my "AYE" vote for a systems (VDV) forum. As coincidental as it can be, this has come up three times recently in conversation with some others that have never visited here (they have now been made aware of ECN) and once with a new member.

To let it be known, I can use, and anxiously look forward to the education also.

Roger

[This message has been edited by Roger (edited 01-06-2005).]

Guys,

A decision hasn't been made yet one way or the other on New Forums and what to do with them. We've recently been looking at upgrading the software, but that's another story.

It seems that people are waiting for a new area to open up before asking a question? If that's the case I'm confused. It should be clear that these types of questions and discussion have always been welcome. Post them in the General area. If a new area opens up later the associated threads can easily be moved there.

Bill

[This message has been edited by Bill Addiss (edited 01-06-2005).]

Bill,
Yes, I seem to remember there was a rather lively debate about this in 2003, in this thread at the time.